Eyes of the Tiger
by sayaXIII
Summary: Takes place after the movie. So maybe he can get back into school, maybe he can't. Either way, David now has a girl who's cold as ice to deal with. Oh, and a dinner party, and other boroughs making trouble. Great. DavidxOC NOT SLASH!
1. It's Cold Outside

**_Disclaimer:_ I own nothing you recognize from the movie. My characters have not even appeared yet. Calm down. Breathe. You know, that thing that you need? Air or something......**  
**Enjoy, and leave me a review if you want candy corns! -noms the whole bag- oops......I go get some more. -leaves-**

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David sighed into the cold winter air as the newsies lined up at the distribution center to buy their morning papes. The strike was now almost six months behind them, and Christmas was coming up. But for some reason, David just wasn't feeling the whole "holiday spirit."

"Hey there, Davey," a friendly hand clapped on David's shoulder. David turned around to see none other than Jack Kelly, leader of the Manhattan newsies, and David's best friend among them.

David rolled his blue eyes up at his friend. "What do you want Jack?"

Jack raised his eyebrows. "Hey now, no need ta get so angry with me. I was only checkin' ta see what's wrong with my pal David." Jack slung his arm around David's shoulders as they waited in line. "After all, somethin's gotta be up when my best buddy here ain't lookin' too happy. Although I can't see why, seein' as he's got dat lovely sister o' his ta keep him company in da evenin' when it's cold, an-"

"Oh, about that, actually," David spun to face Jack. Pointing his finger at Cowboy's chest, he warned, "The next time you try to sneak her out at night, I'm going to tell my parents."

"Oh yeah? Den what're ya gonna do ta me, Davey?" Jack smirked.

"We'll stop feeding you. Especially this Christmas." David continued walking up the line of moving newsies nonchalantly, as if he had just stated that the weather was slightly chilly. Jack stared at him, flabbergasted.

"You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I?" David snapped, a little more harshly then he meant to.

Jack stared at his friend. "Okay, David, stop. Right now. Stop and tell me what's wrong."

"There's nothing wrong wi-"

"Cut da crap, David, I know when something's up with you. An' it ain't just about me 'n' Sarah sneakin' out sometimes." Jack planted himself directly in David's path to keep him from going anywhere. David glared at him.

"Jack, can you move? I have to get my papes," David said, indignant.

"No, I ain't goin' anywhere until you tell me what's been buggin' you so bad these past coupla days."

David sigh and threw up his hands. Clear blue eyes met serious brown ones. David looked down at the ground, shoving his hands deeper into his coat pockets. Finally he looked back up at Jack and spat out, "It's school, alright? Are you happy now?"

"School? I thought you dropped outta school when your dad got laid off." Jack's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "'Sides, didn't you say you didn't want ta go ta school right now?"

"Not right now, no, but-" David stopped midsentence, unsure of how to continue. "Look, Jack, my family expects me to go back. There's nothing I can make of myself here, selling papes. No, don't look at me like that-" he said at his friend's look of hurt "-you know it as well as I do. We all know it. Isn't that why you want to go to Santa Fe so bad?"

"David, I don't undahstand."

"I want to go back, Jack. But if I don't go back by next fall, they'll kick me out for good."

"So den go back in da fall," Jack shrugged, not seeing any problem with this. "Most of us don't know what we're doin' in the next coupla hours, much less da next year. So don't worry about it much, alright?" Jack grinned at David, flipped up his cowboy hat, and turned around to order his usual hundred papes.

David just sighed, rolled his eyes again, and fumbled for enough change to buy himself some papes.

"Fifty papes, please."

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	2. You Knocked My Papes

**Yay, I finished the second chapter! And it's much longer this time, too. You get to meet.....the tiger. Or should I say tigress? Either way, read on, and enjoy! If you feel like leaving me a comment later, I will give you cookies of the sugar variety! :D**

**[Insert phrase about not owning anyone from the movie]**

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**Ch 2 – You Just Knocked My Papes**

"Extra, extra! Mayor not chosen to give church blessing at Christmas!" David hollered on the corner of a street, trying to walk and sell at the same time. As the crowds kept bustling past, David sighed (again). He almost regretted that the strike was over. At least they had had some interesting headlines for a week. He had made a killing then.

David wracked his brains for something remotely interesting he could say about the headlines, when he heard a familiar voice yell, "Extra, extra! Mayor involved in possible Satanic rituals!" David snorted and turned to face Jack Kelly as he accepted payment from three different customers. He didn't fail to notice how Jack always smiled extra nicely at any ladies who bought from him. _Not your problem, that's Sarah's thing to worry about._

Yeah, like that was going to stop him worrying.

"Improving the truth again, Jack?" David asked as Cowboy strode up, an easy smile on his face. _As usual,_ David told himself. _It wasn't just because that girl over there bought a paper from him that she wasn't even going to-_okay, stop. Right there. No more worrying, right? Psht.

"It don't hoit nuthin', and I get ta eat later. What's da matter with you? How many you got left to sell?" Jack eyed David's papes like he was counting them, a thought that fleetingly amused David.

"Twenty."

"Oh, well dat ain't good foah business. I thought you got over the whole 'improvin' da truth' thing after da strike." David noticed that his friend's eyes briefly flicked away when he mentioned the strike. Despite the months that had passed, David knew that his friend worried about what the other newsies – especially Brooklyn – thought about Jack's briefly going scab. Jack had explained why he had done it, and for the most part the newsies seemed to accept it. That didn't mean Jack didn't worry about it.

And…..there Davey went, worryin' again, said the part of him that had taken to sounding like Jack on occasion.

"Yeah, I did get over it," David retorted. "But nothing's going on. Literally. Except that the Mayor is going away over the holiday for two days. Whopee." Jack plucked one of the papers and briefly scanned the headlines again.

"Here, use this: Mayor's daughter caught in affair with tailor."

"What?! Excuse me?"

"Yeah, right here, page five. Mayor's daughter caught in affair with tailor."  
"Jack, she just went there to pay off the rest of her dress."

"Yeah, so? She went there alone, didn't she? It's good enough, use that." With that, Jack handed David back his pape and continues on his way, spouting ridiculous headlines as he went. "Extra, extra!..."

David rolled his eyes and called out, "Extra, extra! Mayor's daughter caught in affair with tailor!"

He immediately had four customers.

How he hated Jack. Sometimes.

One hour later, David was down to eight papes, and he had once again run out of headlines.

"Extra, extra! Mass infection spreads to-oof!" David was cut off as a form barreled into him, nearly knocking him to the ground.

"Hey!" he spun and yelled and the person who had so rudely knocked his papes from his hands. Great, now he wouldn't be able to sell them, probably. "What did you go and do that for? You just knocked my papes!"

"_That's_ the _first_ thing you think about? That your papes are gone? You didn't even have that many left. You'll live," the girl, for it was obvious now that the person was a girl, snapped. Icy blue eyes turned to glower up and David. "How about giving me a hand up first, and _then_ you can natter at me all you want." For someone who had sprawled out flat onto the sidewalk and was now propped up on her elbows, half soaked, this girl had an attitude. Which David wasn't really sure what to do about.

"Oh, um, sure, sorry," ever the polite gentleman, David thrust his hand out to the girl. She grabbed his hand, and he heaved her up. David noticed briefly that her hand was smooth and icy, as if she had stuck it in a drift for half an hour. As the girl briefly dusted the snow, slush, and ice off of herself, David surveyed her.

She was tall, tall enough that her head cleared his shoulder. The top of her head was almost level with his nose. But for her height, she was rail thin, wearing a ragged off-white shirt, long brown skirt, and tied about the middle with a simple brown sash. Over top she had a long black coat that she buttoned with fingers that were long and pale, like a pianist's. Her eyes, David had very quickly found out, were a startling pale blue, much like his own. Her hair was black and long, hanging halfway to her waist. Glancing at her feet to see why she had tripped, David saw she wore sturdy boots. He glanced behind him and saw a slip of ice on the pathway at the corner. That would explain why she had tripped.

"Here's your papes back."

"What? Oh, uh, thanks," David stammered, brushing off some snow. Most of his papes were still sellable. He glanced at the girl still standing in front of him. Why was she still there? Most people would have kept going after hitting a newsie. Although David wasn't really complaining. It was nice to have something to occupy his mind for a minute besides his sister, and Jack, and Christmas, and school, an-stop. Again with the lists.

"So, aren't you going to start yelling again?" the girl asked. David noticed that her voice was actually kind of pleasant. It was a smidge higher than Sarah's, and it held a faint musical note to it.

"What?"

The girl sighed and rolled her blue eyes. "Well, you were yellin' at me before 'bout your papes, so I thought you might start again."

"Oh, no, they're fine, for the most part. Thanks for picking them up for me," David looked down. When he looked up again he asked, "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" She cocked her head to the side in confusion, but continued to watch him with the same level gaze. It was starting to become unnerving, reminding him of Spot Conlon's gaze.

"Start talking like a newsie. You don't…sound like you're one. Or look it, really," David pointed out.

"Oh, that," the girl waved it away like one would a pesky bug. "No reason. I just have to practice, is all. Besides, you don't talk like one either. But nevermind," she cut David off as he opened his mouth to protest and explain, "where to I find do I find…Tibby's?" She pronounced the name of the restaurant where the newsies ate as if she wasn't quite sure about it.

"You're actually really close, just around that corner, go two blocks down, and then cross the street. Two shops down." David pointed the way as he spoke.

The girl nodded and turned to leave.

"Hey!" David called again, but this time in a much nicer tone. When the girl turned to look at him, he briefly hesitated, "What's, um, what's your name?" He tried hard not to shuffle his feet while he waited. Cool blue eyes surveyed him before she answered,

"You can call me Sher Kahn." A small, familiar smirk tugged the corner of her mouth as she said it.

David started, surprised. It sounded like a newsie nickname. "What, like the tiger?" He recognized the name from _the Jungle Book,_ one of Les's favorites.

"Oh, look, an educated newsie." Was that sarcasm?

"I wish," David sighed. Sher Kahn's eyes flickered briefly with some emotion. What was it? Sympathy? Understanding? Confusion? Sadness? Anger? Or some combination thereof? Whatever it was, it was gone too quickly for David to catch it.

She just briefly nodded her head and said quietly, "Don't we all." Then she brightened briefly and asked, "So then what's _your_ name, o charming newsie?"

"David."

She nodded. "Okay, David. Maybe I'll see you around somewhere." She grinned, briefly, and turned away. This time, she didn't look back, but strode purposefully towards Tibby's.

David sighed, looked at his papes, and started calling out headlines.

Half an hour later and he was done, including the papes that had some snow marks on them. As he walked towards Tibby's, David thought about blue eyes, and how nice her smile had been.

Now where had he seen that smirk before?

At the restaurant, the rest of the Manhattan gang was already there, vying for seats and food. David managed to push his way through the crowd to where Jack sat with Racetrack and Kid Blink. Spying Les at another table with Snipeshooter and Boots, David relaxed slightly into his seat.

"So I'm tellin' ya," Racetrack was saying, "We gotta get Harlem at Medda's big Christmas party dis year. It ain't fair otherwise. Besides, half of 'em still owe me a game o' pokah."

"You're still stuck up on that, Race?" David asked as he ordered his food.

"'Course I still am! I make da best money offa dose guys. Hey Cowboy, is Brooklyn commin' ovah? I can sometimes still get some o' 'em, too."

"I dunno, Race. I'll hafta ask Spot. Hey Davey," Jack nudged his friend, "you interested in goin' with me ovah ta Brooklyn later?"

David just raised his eyebrows at Jack. To say that David and Spot did not get along would be an understatement.

"Alright den, it's settled. Davey an' me will go ovah ta Brooklyn later," Jack laughed as he slung his arm over David's shoulders. David shook his head. How he let himself be roped into these things he would never know.

"Hey," a familiar voice over David's shoulder asked, "are you Jack Kelly?"

David turned with the other three newsies, and nearly choked on his food.

There, standing in front of him, looking for all the world as if she owned the place, stood Sher Kahn.

What.

The.

Heck?!

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	3. New Addition, Not a Newsie

**Yaaaay, the third chapter! :D Insert disclaimer here! Lark and Sher Khan are mine. Steal them and perish! (**

**So it looks like some of you just read 'n' run. Hmph! If you read this, please let me know...something. That you didn't like it, or you did, or my writing style is weird, or whatever. It keeps me going to read reviews, and then I will put out chapters that much quicker! (Plus, my classes are making me feel like hitting my head agaisnt a brick wall. Have a little sympathy? :P)**

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Sher Khan, as she was known on the streets and in various orphanages, blinked as she realized who else was sitting at the table with Jack Kelly.

_David._

The newsie she had bowled over into earlier that morning, and who had started yelling at her and then _stopped._ She really hadn't expected him to give her a hand up. Not many people cared to once you had bowled into them one time too many, and sometimes just once was enough. She had found herself talking to him, asking directions, and spending much more time than she had intended to talking to him. Well, at least he had helped her to find Tibby's, and by extension, Jack Kelly.

_Blink._

"Why, yes I am, what can I do to help you, miss?" Sher Khan started slightly and returned her gaze to the Manhattan newsie leader. Warm and humorous brown eyes surveyed her as she briefly struggled to remember why it was she was here.

_Get offa da streets, Sher Khan, an' don't evah let me see you around head again, do ya catch me?_

_Blink._ Right. Get off of the streets, lay low for a while. Then she could go back to where she had been after Christmas passed.

Stupid Christmas.

"I need a place to stay," Sher Khan stated, calm and cool sounding as if she wasn't trying to block out some of the most painful memories from the past six months.

"So do ya want ta be a newsie? Manhattan already has three other goils, although-"

Sher Khan shook her head, cutting Jack off. "No, I don't want to be a newsie. I can't be seen on the streets for a while." She bit her lip, hoping that he wouldn't ask her to explain.

"Care ta explain to me, sweetheart?" Jack raised an eyebrow at the girl. David continued to sit and stare at her, perplexed and confused. Well, her luck had never been that great.

"No." The reply came out sharper than Sher Khan had meant for it to, and she sucked in a breath, running a hand that shook through her hair. She stared at the floor for a minute before composing herself enough to look up and say, "I just need a job. Something I can do for the newsies, or just something here, in Manhattan. I can sew alright, so I could mend clothes or something. I just…I just need to get off of the streets for a little while." She stared out the frosted window as she said the last part.

"I could put you up for a bit."

Everyone at the booth, Sher Khan especially, turned to stare at David. As pale blue eyes met slightly darker ones, David continued, "Just for a bit, if you need. My family wouldn't mind. I bet Sarah would actually like the company." David turned to face Jack at the last bit.

"No!" All eyes came back to Sher Khan, who's face had become even more pale, her eyes wide and alarmed. Shaking her head slightly, she spoke in a voice that wavered, "I can't stay with a family. It has to be the newsies. Please."

David frowned slightly, although Sher Khan wasn't looking at him. David had noticed throughout the conversation that she was nervous about something, although she hid it well. He would have liked to know what it was that was scaring her so bad. She hadn't been like this earlier on the streets, although that may have had something to do with the difference in situations…David returned to his food, albeit slowly, and with less care towards what he was eating.

Jack Kelly, noticing how his friend was watching this strange new girl, decided to cut in, for both of their sakes.

"Alright, den," he said, looking Sher Khan squarely in the eye. "Let's say I give you dis job, and you stay in the lodging house with da rest of us. You said you can sew?" As Sher Khan nodded, Jack asked, "Okay, so what'll ya charge us foah dis service?" He smiled kindly at Sher Khan, who shrugged, back to her calm manner.

"I dunno, what do ya think it would cost ya somewhere else?"

"You did it again!" David remarked.

"Did what?"

"Started talking like the rest of the newsies."

Sher Khan stared at David for a moment before giving a wry smile and stating, _very_ dryly, "Well, that's who I'm talking to, isn't it?"

Racetrack, Kid Blink, and Jack all laughed out loud as David blushed slightly and stared at his plate. Smirking, Sher Khan faced Jack again.

"So you'll give me this job?"

Still chortling, Jack said, "Yeah, shoah. I know most of da boys'll be happy to have someone who can fix dere things for them, for a better price. I'll have Lark show you where to go. You can leave yoah things over dere for now, and we'll introduce ya later." Facing David, Jack nudged him with his elbow and said, "Well, looks like you get out easy today, Davey. You don't have ta go visit Spot yet."

"Spot?" Sher Khan had gone stiff at the mention of his name.

"I take it you know him?" Jack observed. Now what had set her off this time? He knew that Spot had a certain…affect on people, but with girls it was usually the infatuated and romantic type.

"A little," Sher Khan fidgeted with the edge of one of her sleeves. Jack shrugged. There was nothing he could do about it, if this girl didn't particularly like Spot. Not everyone did. Artemis certainly hadn't, for a while. Turning to survey the room, Jack called out for Lark.

A minute later, a girl of middling height, brown hair, and careful brown eyes came over, dressed as the rest of the newsie boys where.

"Heya, Cowboy, ya need somethin'?" Lark asked, shoving her hands into her pockets.

"Do me a favor Lark, an' take…what is yoah name, actually?" Jack asked, realizing that he had never caught the girl's name.

"Sher Khan." Jack raised his eyebrows. Lark continued to stand there, although she was carefully looking the newcomer up and down.

"Do me a favor, an' take Sher Khan over to da lodgin' house once you've eaten? She gonna be stayin' wit' us foah a while." Lark nodded and beckoned for Sher Khan to follow her. As the two girls left, Jack turned to face David.

"'Sarah would like da company'? Is dat _really_ da best excuse you could come up with, Davey?" Jack nudged his friend again. He wasn't about to leap right in and ask David _how_ exactly it was that David knew this girl. For that matter, he wasn't about to start off asking why David liked her. Being the oblivious type, David probably hadn't figured it out yet.

"Woah, woah, what's a dis about?" Racetrack butted in, eyes flicking between the two taller newsies.

"Davey heah seems ta be a bit worried that Sarah an' I might be sneakin' out foah some…hijinks," Jack enunciated each word carefully – carefully for Jack, anyway – as he kept his eyes on David, silently egging him on.

David sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Hopefully it wouldn't become a habit.

"I'm not…_worried_, exactly," David said slowly. "It's more like my parents are worried, so if I gave them something different to worry about…" David let his sentence trail off as he poked at his food. Racetrack and Kid Blink traded looks with each other.

"So basically, you think this girl's hot, but you don't know how to invite her over," Kid Blink guessed.

"What?!" David exclaimed. As newsies from the surrounding tables turned to look at him, he quieted down to say in a heated whisper, "_No¸ that's not it._ I just want my parents off of my back so that I can study in piece while I'm home at night."

"Study? Foah what? Ya can't exactly study makin' up lies, unless ya study from da best like Cowboy heah. An' you already did dat," Racetrack said around his trademark cigar, unlit in the restaurant.

"Davey also wants ta go back ta school." Racetrack and Kid Blink stared incredulously first at Jack, and then at David.

"Ya want ta do _what?_" Racetrack asked in a low voice. Kid Blink shifted in his seat, nervous.

"Hey, hey now," Jack said calmly. "Let's not be fightin', alright? If Davey wants ta go back ta school, dat's fine wit' me. It's a great thing, havin' an educated newsie. Sure, he don't earn so much as da rest of us do, but dat's because we already learned everything about lyin'!" Jack laughed.

The mood shifty slightly after that, as the newsies all finished whatever bits of their lunch they had left, and proceeded over to the distribution center to get their afternoon papes.

"So, dis heah is where everybody sleeps, foah da most part. Although if Artemis ends up back over heah again, she'll be outside or somewhere else. Don't worry about it," Lark said, gesturing around the second story main room of the lodging house. "Ya got any questions?"

"Is there somewhere…else?...where I could sleep? Just somewhere more 'out of sight' where no one would think to look?" Sher Khan shifted slightly, wondering if this girl Lark was also going to ask about why she was staying with the newsies, but she didn't want to be one.

"Another room?" Lark scratched her head thoughtfully. "Ah, not really, unless…Hey, Kloppman! We got anywhere else down dere where Sher could sleep?"

"There's a storage closet in the back of that room, Lark!" the old man called up the stairs. "None of you ever use it. There should be some supplies already in there."

"Storage closet. Right. Now why didn't I know of dis?" Lark muttered to herself. Lark marched over to the back of the room where a doorknob covered with a bit of dust connected to a door. Grabbing the knob, Lark tugged on the door until it came loose. "Oof! Well, well, looks like Kloppman was right." Lark put her hands on her hips and surveyed the area. There was just enough room for a cot, a chair, and a small desk. Storage closet indeed. Everything was covered in a fine layer of dust.

"Well, at least it's out of sight," Sher Khan drawled. The remark earned her a wry smirk from Lark, who in return gestured at the dusty "room."

"Well, let's get this all nice and cleaned up, shall we?" The two girls entered the tiny abode, often bumping into each other as they shook out the sheets and dusted off the surface of the desk and chair. After an hour's worth of work, the tiny place looked almost liveable.

"Whew. Well, I hope I don't evah have ta help someone do _dat_ again," Lark grumbled as she plopped herself down on the chair. "I just lost a whole afternoon's worth of sellin'. What're ya gonna do heah, anyway?"

Sher Khan shrugged. "Sorry 'bout that. I'm just here to lay low for a bit. I guess I'll just be sewing up clothes for everyone. I'll give you a free shirt patching, if you want compensation." Sher Khan dropped her bag with her supplies down on the bed and sat, facing Lark. As far as Sher Khan could tell, Lark was the leader of all the Manhattan news girls, and answered only to Jack.

"It's alright," Lark shrugged. "So, I assume that Jack said he would 'introduce' you to everyone here den?" She raised an eyebrow.

Sher Khan groaned and lay back on the bed, almost hitting her head on the wall. "Crap. Do you think he would let me out of it?"

"Not a chance. He doesn't really like everyone here bein' taken by surprise. Yoah just gonna have ta face da music."

Sher Khan closed her eyes and prayed that no one would make a fuss; or at least, not _too_ big of a fuss. She was supposed to be "lying low" after all.

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**So, this is a little bit of a continuation of my other fic (not yet completed, but up), in the sense that you will see Artemis at some point or another. She will pop up now and then, to offer "moral support" or just to amuse herself. Yuptup.**

**Comments? :D**

**Cookies for all of you that have reviewed thus far! ^_^**


	4. So everything's settled, maybe

**Wow, it's been months since I updated this story. Sorry 'bout that, although it will be on a slight hiatus until I finish my other fic,_ Spot of Luck._ If you want something that updates quicker (although it's Spot, not David), go check it out. It's a SpotxOC story with a bit of a twist (at least, I flatter myself and think that :P)**

**Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter.**

**Anyone from the movie = not mine, Disney's. All others = mine.**

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**Chapter 4 – So everything's settled, maybe**

David followed Jack into the lodging house later in the evening, Les by his side. Most of the newsies had already heard that there was another girl joining them. They didn't know who she was, why she was there, or what she looked like. Murmurs swept through the front room where the boys had crowded.

"Alright, alright, let's settle down then," Jack called out over everyone's head, motioning with his hands for quiet. "We've got a new goil joinin' us, but she ain't gonna be a newsie, got dat?"

"Ain't gonna be a newsie?" Boots quipped. "Den what is she gonna be? A nun?" There were a few chuckles around the room. Jack just waited for quiet to settle again. Kloppman was still at his desk, writing in his large book.

Out of the corner of his eye, David saw Sher Khan enter through the front door. Seeing all the newsies gathered about, she froze briefly. David waved for her to come over to where he stood, a little behind Jack. Slipping around the newsies, Sher Khan hid behind David.

"What the bloody hell is all this?!" she whispered heatedly. "I leave to get some food, come back, and there are newsies everywhere!" Sher Khan fidgeted absent mindedly with the edge of her coat as her eyes flicked around the room. In truth, she was looking for anyone who might recognize her.

"I don't think Jack knows the meaning of 'subtle,'" David whispered back. "What are you so worried about, anyway? They're all good guys. Oh, and girls too."

Sher Khan smirked at this last remark. "Well, then I have nothin' to worry about, do I?" she laughed quietly. She continued to figet, now with the bag she held. _Crap,_ she thought. _Why'd I have to pick the borough with a leader that tells everyone everything? Oh, right. Because it's Manhattan, and Manhattan is supposed to be safe._

"Sher Khan is gonna woik as a, uh…what's da woid?" Jack asked David.

"Seamstress?" David replied with a bit of sarcasm.

"Yeah. Sher Khan's gonna be a seamstress, an' fix any clothes you guys want. Foah a price, of course," Jack announced. "Now, where is she? Sher Khan?"

"Back here," she grimaced. Scooting between the two tall boys, Sher Khan stood next to Jack. "Hi guys," she greeted the newsies. Kid Blink whistled, and Sher Khan shot him a glare. The other newsies were either shouting greetings back, or talking amongst themselves, probably deciding what they wanted fixed first.

David watched as some of the newsies braved Sher Khan's icy glare to come say hello. She fidgeted with the edges of her sleeves and kept her bag firmly tucked behind her. Otherwise, she smiled nicely at the newsies. David thought she looked kind of nice when she smiled, even if the smiles were a little fake around the edges. At least she wasn't smirking. Smirking. That reminded him: Jack still wanted to go over to Brooklyn, which meant he would bring David along just for kicks, and that meant he would see Spot. Crap.

"So, you really do like her, huh?" Jack whispered to David. Startled, David looked over to see Jack grinning at him. Jack's eyes flashed with humor as they flicked from David, to Sher Khan, and back to David.

"It's not like I _like_ her, not like that," David muttered back. Watching Sher Khan deal with Kid Blink's and Mush's ridiculous flirting, David decided, "It's more like I feel sorry for her." He shoved his hands in his pockets. Several newsies pushed past him and Jack to head up the stairs. A few more trickled out the door, decidedly done with greeting the newcomer. Jack just grinned.

"Sure."

"Okay, what is it?" Sher Khan piped up. David started as she popped up at his shoulder. "I get thrown to the wolves, I now have a bazillion things to do, and you two are whispering." She watched Jack carefully as he rubbed the back of his neck embarrassedly.

"Just a new situation, is all," Jack muttered.

"He doesn't like people being surprised so much," David said dryly. Sher Khan nodded.

"Well, great for you," she said. "I'm going to disappear now. Wake up in the morning and I'll bite your head off." With that she made her way carefully up the stairs. Inside her new "room" Sher Khan deposited her newly acquired sewing materials on the floor. With a sigh and a plop, she sat on the head and put her face in her hands. _Damn. What the hell am I doing._ She stared at the frost covered window.

Well, at least the boy David was nice. A little clueless about things, apparently, but nice.

Back downstairs, Jack and David quibbled back and forth for a while before David took off for home with Les.

_Thud. Thud-thud-thud. BAM._

What was wrong with the newsie boys? Honestly, Sher Khan was never going to recover her nerves if they always made such noise. Pulling the pillow over her head, she tried in vain to fall back asleep. Twenty minutes later, all of the boys were gone, and Sher Khan was still wide awake.

With a sigh, Sher Khan stood up and peeked carefully out into the main room. No one was there. Dressing quickly in her last shirt and skirt, Sher Khan made a mental note to do her own laundry as well.

At one of the sinks in the washroom, she observed herself.

Her eyes were cold and staring. Perfect. There were faint sleep circles under them, but they would either disappear after some time with the newsies, or not. Her lips were slightly chapped, but what was there to do about that? It was winter in New York. At least there were no bruises on her face. Sher Khan had made sure of_ that_ before coming to the newsies.

Back in her room, she fished the loaf of bread she had stolen the previous night, along with her sewing kit. _Might as well get started._

A knock on the door broke Sher Khan out of her sewing reverie.

"Who is it?"

"David."

"You can come in." Carefully, David opened the door and entered. Sher Khan thought it was funny that he left the door open, standing by it.

"You know, there's a bed. You can sit on it. Contrary to my name, I won't bite you," she said, smirking. She put the shirt she had been working on in the basket she had found. Flexing her fingers, she asked, "Did you want something? Or just come to say hello?"

David blushed slightly. "Sorry, didn't mean to bother you," he apologized. "Jack's just off again and I needed to escape Kid and Racetrack."

Sher Khan smirked. "They teasin' you?" Recognition hit David like an angry hornet to the face.

"Hey, do you know Spot Conlon?" he asked.

"Unfortunately," Sher Khan drawled. "Why?"

"You smirk the same way he does."

"Ah, well," she hesitated. "You hang out around some people long enough, you pick up habits from them. I bet you've picked some up from Kelly yourself, haven't you?" David glared at the floor.

"Maybe." After a pause he looked back up at her. "Hey, do you want to come over for dinner? The guys probably won't pay you for a bit, so if you want some food or something…" He trailed off awkwardly. _Crap, that probably sounded like I think she's some homeless kid on the streets._ Luckily for David, Sher Khan understood.

"I wouldn't want to impose," she murmured. She fidgeted with her hands in her lap. _A sweet gesture, but he has no idea how much trouble he'd be in if he got caught with me on the streets._

"It wouldn't be any trouble," David insisted. "I'm sure my family would love to have you over. Jack's been over a million times." A wicked thought popped into the girl's mind.

"And what would you introduce me as?" she asked, grinning. "Your girlfriend?" David paled.

"What? No! I mean, I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but…what? No, you'd just be…" David flailed about for the right words.

Sher Khan laughed, doubling over in her chair. David just sat, dumbfounded. _She has a really pretty laugh._ Her hair fell into her face as her face turned pink. David stared at his fingers, feeling slightly like an idiot.

"Okay, sure, I'll join you," Sher Khan gasped out, still giggling to herself. David looked up at her.

"You look a lot nicer when you relax," he said unexpectedly. Immediately his face reddened, horrified. Sher Khan gave him a blank stare, stiff. They sat there staring at each other for a minute.

The sound of someone pounding up the stairs broke them out of their silence. Lark popped her head in the door.

"Oh, both of you are up here. Good. You," she pointed to David. "Your sister's downstairs, she and Cowboy want ta talk to ya. An' you," she pointed to Sher Khan, "da boys want some of their shirt back if ya got 'em."

"Sure, here." Sher Khan passed the finished shirts over.

"Great, I'll go make sure dey pay you. Hey boys!" Lark darted off.

With an embarrassed look, David stood up. "Well, I'll be back later, if you still want to eat with us."

"Sure. And David?" Sher Khan called to him as he was leaving the little room. He looked back.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

* * *

**Short chappie, I know, but I haven't written anything for this story in a while.**

**Thanks to anyone who reads this! I also have another Newsies fic. Feel free to read that two. The two stories will intersect once in a while (plus, Sher Khan is going to show up in the other one in a bit. ;) )**


	5. Street Smarts

**Fweeeee!!!! New chapter! This chapter's a little bit longer than the others. **

**I got many lovely reviews on the last chapter! So maybe this story won't be on hiatus right now? ;) **

**Sher Khan, Lark, Colt, and anyone else not from the movie = mine. Anyone from the movie = not mine.**

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**Ch 5 – Street Smarts**

Dinner was a tad bit awkward, to say the least. While the Jacobs family was used to David brining Jack, a fellow newsboy, home for dinner, David had never brought a girl back. Certainly not a girl like Sher Khan, who only went by that name, who looked more like a kid off the streets, and who immediately hit off with Sarah. Oh, and has it already been mentioned that Sher Khan's a girl?

Sher Khan was quiet throughout the meal, speaking when spoken to, and other wise trying to be polite. Which wasn't the easiest thing as Les kept asking questions. Sarah eventually told him to hush and let the guest eat. To make up for the disappointment, Sher Khan showed Les a few sleight of hand tricks she knew. Les's favorite was when she made a coin walk over and under her fingers before disappearing.

"David, why don't you walk your friend home?" David's father suggested when Sher Khan mentioned the need to head back.

"It's not far, I can go by myself," Sher Khan said.

"It's no trouble," David said. "I'll go." Sher Khan shrugged.

"See ya, Les," she called, heading out the door. "Keep practicing like I showed you and maybe you'll even fool Racetrack!" Les laughed and kept playing with a coin.

As she and David clattered down the steps of the building, she said, "You know, it really isn't smart to be caught with me on the streets right now. 'Specially at night." Sher Khan looked back over her shoulder. David met her eyes squarely.

"Then we just don't get caught," he replied. "Besides, the other newsies seem to doubt my intelligence. It's nothing new."

"Oh, I'm sure you're pretty _book_ smart," Sher Khan laughed. "It's the street smarts that worry me." She sobered quickly as the icy wind hit their faces. "Sure you don't want to stay here?"

"Are you kidding me? My mom would eat me alive. Let's go, it's cold."

They had walked several blocks when two figures turned the corner towards them. Automatically Sher Khan walked closer to the wall. As they drew closer, it became clear that it was the two Delancey brothers.

"Hey, look," one of them said loudly. Sher Khan winced at the noise and shrank even closer to the wall. David stayed close to her side, watching the Delanceys. _Jerks_, he thought. "A new goil. And wit' that guy wese don't like." The other brother laughed.

"Ah, bother," Sher Khan muttered. "Sorry David, looks like you're gonna get in some trouble after all."

"Hey, sweetheart, what're you doin' with this guy?" Oscar Delancey asked, looking into Sher Khan's face. "Don't you know Cowboy's boys are bad foah ya?"

"Better than you, ya scummer," Sher Khan hissed. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a little voice was laughing as David watched Oscar's face wrinkle at the response. "Go away."

"See, wese owe Cowboy for a while back," Oscar said, looking dangerous. "An' you just happen to be here with this guy." Morris watched David as Oscar kept talking. David tried to keep his eyes on all three of them at the same time and ended up just watching Sher Khan. He called to mind what the others had told him about fighting.

_Keep yoah hands up ta block yoah face._

_Don't flinch._

_Dodge quick and den hit 'em where it hurts._ And that particular voice would be Spot Conlon. Ah, great.

"I wouldn't do anything if I were you," Sher Khan said quietly. Oscar just cocked his head and kept watching her.

"Yeah? An' why not? Yoah boy here can't do anything." Morris laughed and Oscar made a shushing motion at him.

"I wouldn't do anythin' if I were you," Sher Khan said coldly, eyes glinting as they held Oscar's, "because someone very close to me will be _very_ angry if I get another bruise. An' they might not stop at just bruisin' you."

"Who's ta get mad, huh?" Morris asked.

Sher Khan turned her gaze to Morris. "Someone a lot meaner than the both of youse. Now get out of here."

"Too late, sweetheart," Oscar said, swinging. His fist clipped Sher Khan on the side of the face. She gasped, and then turned to face him.

"_Scummer,_" she hissed out. The next punch he tried to throw, Sher Khan grabbed his arm and threw him over her shoulder.

Meanwhile, as Oscar started swinging, Morris headed for David. He was less refined about aiming than his brother, but still dangerous. David did his best to dodge. _Hit 'em low, Mouth, _Spot's voice said again. _Shut up, Spot,_ David told the voice. The first chance he got, David aimed for Morris's face.

Morris dodged back, only to have David's other fist come flying towards his face. It hit him on the side, making him spin on the ice. As Morris fell, David remembered _Sher Khan! She's going to get hit!_ David turned around only to see Oscar groaning on the sidewalk, and Sher Khan rubbing the side of her face where he had hit her.

"Where'd you learn to throw?" David asked. He knew of one other girl who knew how to throw people, but she was in Brooklyn.

"Girl I met once, over in Brooklyn. Quirky little nut," Sher Khan said. "Damn, this is _not_ good." She coughed, holding her side. She groaned.

"Hey, you're not okay," David said, concerned. Carefully he looked at her face. A bruise was starting to form on her left temple. Tired eyes just looked up at David. "You'll be okay, I think. Let's get you back to the house." David put his arm around her waist and started walking. The Delancey's scrambled to their feet.

"Just wait 'til your alone!" Oscar yelled.

Sher Khan ducked her head and muttered something to herself. David just tightened his grip around her and walked faster. He didn't let go of the girl until they got back to the lodging house. Sher Khan coughed a few more times, and had to stop each time, holding her ribs. After the second time David took his coat off and put it around her shoulders.

Back at the Newsboys' Lodging House, Jack and the others where in the front room playing cards. Racetrack crowed, winning another hand. The others groaned in defeat as David walked in. Lark looked over from where she was sitting next to Skittery. Seeing the way they entered, Lark headed over.

"Hey, hey, what's goin' on here?" she asked. "Hey! Flyer! Go start some water and find some tea!" The taller blond girl newsie darted to the other room. Lark performed her own examination of Sher Khan.

"Delanceys," David said curtly. The boys in the room looked up. Upon hearing the hated name, some of them made growling noises while others spat on the floor.

"This place will be disgusting if you guys do that all o' the time," Sher Khan said. She leaned against David, not caring that she didn't really know him. David looked at her as she spoke, his arm still around her waist. Some of the newsies grinned at the joke, but most were planning revenge.

"Where'd dey get you?" Jack Kelly spoke up from the crowd. He came forward to stand in front of David.

"Near the Center," David replied. "Must have been making their 'rounds' again." A silent exchange passed between the two as Lark came in to take Sher Khan to the tiny kitchen. As the girls went away, David said, "Jack, I need to go to Brooklyn. Tomorrow."

All the boys in the room stirred. David? Go to Brooklyn? _Voluntarily?_

"Why?" Jack asked. All the ears in the room perked up, listening. David just looked at him.

"I'm going, too."

All eyes turned to Sher Khan, who had returned with a mug of tea and flanked by three Manhattan newsgirls. David's coat was still around her shoulders. Jack briefly took in that fact with some amusement before returning to the topic at hand.

"Why do you two want ta go to Brooklyn?"

Sher Khan shrugged, removing the jacket. "I have some, ah, business with its King." She held out the coat to David. He took it mutely. He had been hoping Sher Khan would just stay home, but it looked like the girl had a stubborn streak.

"Well then," Jack said. "Looks we'll go invite Brooklyn foah a game of pokah. I'll see the both of you here after sellin' da mornin' edition."

As soon as Sher Khan was upstairs, David turned to Jack. He pulled him over to the corner by Lark.

"Jack, there's something seriously wrong with her," he whispered.

"Yeah? How do you know?"

"She threw Oscar, you know, that over-the-shoulder throw Spot's girl does? But-"

"That sound pretty good, if you ask me," Jack laughed. David glared at him for interrupting.

"_But_ she kept coughing, and she couldn't stand up straight. Actually, she couldn't really stand so well at all after that," David finished. Lark nodded.

"Yeah, I noticed dat," she said quietly. When Jack gave her a questioning look, she jerked a thumb towards the kitchen. "Have you seen her arms?" The boys shook their heads. "Well, I only saw a bit, but dat goil's got some bruises. Old ones, but bruises."

"Not from da Delanceys?" Jack asked.

"No, they only hit her in the face once," David said. His hands had balled into fists.

"I wonder what business she's got wit' Spot," Lark mused.

"I dunno," Jack said. "But we'll find out."

* * *

Sher Khan woke up the next morning stiff and sore all over. The newsboys had already left, but their noise hadn't woken her. Rather, it was the anticipation of going to Brooklyn that woke her. Otherwise, Sher Khan was tempted to just sleep the whole day through. It was certainly a lot safer to sleep in the lodge house than out on the streets.

_Hmm…Maybe that throw _wasn't_ such a good idea._ Then again, it had been a heat-of-the-moment thing, and she had been itching to try the throw Artemis had shown her over the summer. _Ah, well. Live and learn._ With a groan she stood up and shuffled over to the bathroom.

As she dressed, she hesitated before tucking her shirt into her skirt. She lifted the hem a little, just enough to see the lower edge of her rib cage. A few purple flowers were turning yellow and fading. Others on her back still looked like fresh blows. Sher Khan glared at them and tied her sash. The blow from Oscar was now a nice little bruise, but luckily hidden when her black hair framed her face.

Time for breakfast.

Downstairs the old man known as Kloppman was keeping his books. He looked up as Sher Khan reached the bottom.

"Eventful night?" he said kindly.

"How'd you guess?" Sher Khan noted her voice was a little hoarse. She'd have to fix that, or David would worry and try to make her stay here.

"I've never heard so many ill wishes against them Delancey brothers," Kloppman commented. "I believe there's still some tea in there." He pointed to the little kitchen. Sher Khan nodded and went to find it. There was also a piece of bread, an apple, and half a muffin, obviously left by the newsies. Sher Khan smiled before picking up the muffin half.

"They won't actually, um, do anything, will they?" she asked upon returning to the main room. She hugged her arms to herself while Kloppman thought.

"Cowboy runs them off, from time to time," he said. "As for the others…they mostly just yell at them. It will depend on how angry they are."

"And…David? Does he fight?"

Kloppman smiled. "That boy can't fight for his life." Sher Khan smiled. Yeah, she had definitely noticed. "But if he's fighting for someone else, who knows?"

Sher Khan reddened and fled before Kloppman could imply anything else. Time for tea.

* * *

_Knock knock._

David knocked – a little unnecessarily on the open door to Sher Khan's room – before walking in. Sher Khan looked up from the shirt she was fixing.

"We're about ready to go to Brooklyn now. Are you still coming?" His face was a little pink from the cold.

"I'm coming. Let me grab something." Sher Khan rummaged in her bag before pulling out a thick shawl. She threw it around her shoulders, wincing a little at the motion. Hopefully David wouldn't notice, or at least not comment.

They clattered down the stairs together, causing the others to look up. Jack stood by the door with Sarah. He looked up and waved.

"Ready?" Sher Khan nodded. "Alrigh'. Let's get goin' den." He gave Sarah a quick kiss before the three of them walked out. A few snowflakes fell from the sky. Jack walked on Sher Khan's right, while David walked on her left. It felt like the girl had body guards. Which reminded her of her earlier question to Kloppman.

"Ah, Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you guys, um, fight with the Delanceys today?" She pulled the shawl closer to her as Jack's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah." Sher Khan nodded mutely.

"They had it coming," David said. "They've been pushing their luck too much lately."

Jack gave a short laugh. "You should've see dis guy," he said, pointing at David. Sher Khan raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, really?" she said coolly, smirking. "An' why is that?" David started to redden.

"He was ready ta take on Oscah himself." Jack laughed as Sher Khan snorted. David tried to pretend to be invisible.

The walk over the Brooklyn Bridge was uneventful, with only the wind to pull at their jackets. Once, David offered Sher Khan his jacket again, but she refused. Upon reaching the end, they were met by a tall newsboy with jet black hair and dark eyes.

"Heya, Cowboy," he greeted them. "Seein' Spot today?"

"Colt," Jack nodded. "You runnin' somewhere?"

Colt shrugged. "Got business over in Bronx today." With that he waved and took off.

The docks were swarming with newsies done selling for the day. None were venturing into the water, though some helped pull boats in close to the docks. At the end of a pier a newsie with a gold-topped cane stood talking to two others. The girl of the group was the first to notice them and pointed. Spot smirked upon seeing Jack and David, before giving a curious look to the last member.

Jack walked up and spit shook with Spot. "We've come ta invite Brooklyn to Medda's Christmas party," he said.

"You brought the Mouth," Spot remarked. "Dat ain't all youse got to tell me."

David shifted a little as Sher Khan hid slightly behind him. Spot looked at her.

"Who've you got there, Davey?" Spot asked. Before David could speak, Sher Khan lifted her head and stepped out from behind him. Spot's eyes went wide, wider than David had ever seen them go.

"Y-you?" Spot gasped. "You're…alive?" Sher Khan gave him a weak grin.

"Heya, Spot," she said. "How's my deah cousin been doin'?"

The two stood there, facing each other while every else on the dock watched with confusion.

* * *

**OOOoooooo, a cliffhanger! Am I being evil? (Yes, I am being evil. My appologies.) Review and the next chapter with juicy details shall go up faster! :D All the +favorites and alerts make me happy! And Happyness is direction proportional to Update Speed!**

**Switchblade Conlon: Thanks for the +favorite! And yeah, the chappies in this fic are short. But I'm trying to update faster, so maybe it'll balance out?**

**Abetterina: Hey! A new reader! Welcome! Thanks for the +favorite. I appologize for the slips in language. I do my best, but sometimes I honestly end up drawing a blank and have to fill it in with something for the time being. Glad you're enjoying the story!**

**Eavis: Hello again! Well, now we know a little bit more about the relationship between Sher Khan and Spot. Or not. :P Thanks for the +favorite!**

**Dreamless-Mermaid: Sure, show me who you've got for girls and I'll see if they fit in somewhere. I've mostly got my Manhattan girls down, but you never know! Thanks for reading! :D**


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